Not So Average School Girls and Boys
by VarekaiSoleil
Summary: Aya was a young girl, only 16, when she was sent to the Destiny Islands to attend school there. Living alone, her new life of long awaited independence would start. But, she isn't alone for long. [CloudxOC, more pairings later, rated for safety.]
1. Arrival

_Aya was a young girl, only 16, when she was sent to the Destiny Islands to attend school there. Living alone, her new life would start. _

Chapter One: Arrival

It was three days after her sixteenth birthday. She peered out of the window of the small charter plane she was in. The sun was just rising. The orange-pink of the morning sunlight contrasted the deep green silhouette of the Destiny Islands, not too far off in the distance. She gathered her carry-ons and shut her eyes. Her cat, Edward, climbed onto her lap, purring. The beautiful calico was mostly white with a smiling face, half orange and half black. They would be landing in a matter of minutes.

She felt the ground meet with the wheels of the plane when it shook her gently. Edward's head popped up and her ears perked.

"We're here, Eddie Girl." Aya said, calming the cat and patting her head. She was the only one on the plane, so no one noticed her talking to her cat. A few years back, Aya realized that Ed could understand her when she spoke, but naturally, there was never a reply.

The plane slowed down, and when it stopped, a man opened the door and helped Aya out. Holding Ed in one arm and two carry-ons in the other, she stepped down the stairs and onto the runway. Two men hurried into the plane behind her and took the rest of her bags.

"Welcome to the Destiny Islands, Miss Aya!" A short, stocky man wearing a polo and slacks approached her.

"Hello," she said, unsure of who he was or how he knew her. Her face displayed this uncertainty.

"My name is Kei Hullom. It's is such a pleasure to be meeting the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ransym! An honor, truly."

There it was again. Her father's great name. She didn't mind that she was treated so respectfully because of it, but the name also brought her great trouble at times.

Aya Ransym was the daughter of a great real state tycoon in the United States. Had she not begged to be sent away for school, she may still be suffering the horrid fate of shaking hands and smiling for photos in all the wonderful cities overseas.

"Hello, Mr. Hullom. And please, the pleasure is all mine." She smiled that oh-so-practiced smile.

The men emerged with her suitcases and loaded them onto a freshly arrived golf cart.

"If you'll please..." Hullom guided her to the back seat of the vehicle. Edward was close at her side, as usual.

Hullom shifted into the driver's seat and the two valets stood on the back, grasping the roll bars. As they pulled away from the plane, Aya relaxed and began to observe her surroundings.

All along the pleasant sandy road were lush, green palms and old boardwalks, worn and colored with age. As they passed the beach, she noticed a group of boys her age playing rugby in the sand. There were girls sunning themselves on a small island attached by a bridge. Children drew in the damp sand with sticks, and the wind swayed the trees. Peace.

They soon approached the more developed side of the islands. There were quaint little cottages, some old, some new, as well as the occasional Victorian home. As the trees became sparse, Aya viewed her new school a few meters in the distance.

With stature able to compete with the largest university campuses she'd seen, there stood Hikari High School at Destiny Islands.

She stared in awe at its size and elegance. Her gaze was broken by the slightly jolting stop of the golf cart.

"This is Hikari High School, campus of Destiny Islands. Dorms are off to the right, but your father requested you live in his villa here. Next stop, the Ransym residence. Just beyond these trees, on the beach." Hullom talked at her.

After a few more minutes of driving, they were at a cliff-top residence, apparently hers.

She was surprised at the pleasant size, none to large, yet roomy enough that she could tell her father owned it. It was white, with a wrap-around porch, complete with hammock and whicker rocking chair. The door's deep mahogany contrasted the bright white of the home. It stood on stilts with an old dinghy tied to the post beneath it.

As the valets took her things up the small staircase, she called Edward to her side and followed them up the steps. The door was opened for her, and she stepped inside.

The interior was more colorful, and wonderfully posh. The entryway was decorated with potted plants and a small chandelier hanging above the door, and the entire living room was painted in a combination of neutrals and burgundy-reds. She stepped further in to see a large television surrounded by plush sofas and armchairs, centered around a glass coffee table. The floors were wood, treated to give the home an old, traditional feel. The kitchen was attached to the living room, with black granite counters and fully-loaded appliances. The hallway off to the right of the room led to four more rooms: the master bedroom, the guest bedroom, a guest bathroom, and a small library, complete with a computer. She turned into the hallway, and the color scheme shifted from warm to cool, with greens, blues, and teals. Another much simpler chandelier lit the hall. She entered the master bedroom, with bath attached, and watched as the valets set her things down and waited for a signal of her approval.

"Wonderful, thanks so much." She said warmly. As they left the room, she handed them each a tip for their troubles, as she had been raised to do.

The bedroom was warmly colored. She was enjoying the contrast. The bed was a dark wood with tall posts at all corners. There was a deep reddish sheer canopy covering the luxurious gold bed linens. A large sliding glass door led out onto the porch, which overlooked the beach below. There was a large armoire of the same wood as the bed. Directly in front of the bed was another television, and the wood floors were covered by a dark burgundy carpet.

Aya patted the bed, and Edward readily pounced onto the fluffy comforter. She kneaded the bedding momentarily, then circling once and flopping down to sleep, purring.

"Yea, I could get used to this too." Aya smiled.

Notes- And so begins my next fic. I'll try to make sure this one isn't as rushed as the last. Anyways, R+R!! Reviews keep a writer going. Arigato and Sayonara!

-VarekaiSoleil


	2. Day at the Beach

Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters from Kingdom Hearts I or II.

Notes- Well now... on to chapter two of my newest creation. Hope you're all enjoying it thus far.

* * *

Chapter Two: Day at the Beach

The next morning, the sun rose slowly over the horizon, warming the sand and waking the trees.

Aya was laying in bed lazily, half asleep. Edward purred loudly in her ear and woke her. As she rose up, her dark blonde curls sat atop her head in a poof. Her normally tan skin was pale with exhaustion and her brilliant blue-green eyes stared half open. She got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.

After a quick shower, she slipped into a robe left hanging on the door and wrapped her hair up in a towel. With nothing to wear, she began to unpack, all the while chatting with Ed.

"Hmm... what should we do today Eddie girl?" She said as she tucked her jeans and tees into a chest of drawers. From the bottom of her suitcase, she pulled out her favorite turquoise bikini. "The beach sounds good!" She said to herself. Eddie gave a hungry meow, so Aya hastened to dress. She put on her bathing suit, and black tank top, and frayed denim shorts.

She went out into the kitchen to find that there was a full supply of cat food in one cabinet, as well as any ingredients she could ever need to cook for herself. The fridge was fully stocked as well. She took two small dishes from a drawer and filled them, one with milk and one with cat food. She set them down for Edward and went back to her room.

After grabbing a towel, her cell phone, and a few other things, Aya made her way down to the beach. Outside her house, she found an old yet sturdy wooden staircase leading down the steep hillside to the sandy beach.

It was eight in the morning, and yet the beach was as lively as the afternoon before. All the same activities: rugby, tanning, drawing. _They must spend a lot of time at the beach..._ she thought to herself.

As she was strolling across the sand, she noticed the boys were wearing jerseys from Hikari High. The girls laid on team towels, and even their water bottles sported the emblem. She could plainly see the school colors: Gold and cerulean blue. _So they're students too... not bad..._ she thought, as she observed the boys playing.

One boy in particular caught her eye. Instead of a jersey, he was wearing a sleeveless hoodie in the team colors. He had long blonde hair that shot out from his head in wild spikes. Even from a distance, she could see his piercing blue eyes as he fiercely struggled for the ball. She then saw him step away from the players and observe them as she was doing, as if to be analyzing their performance. _Team captain..._

"Hey!" Called a voice. She was pulled out of her pensive state. "Hey you! Girl in the black!" Aya turned to see two of the girls on the dock lifting their sunglasses and waving. She smiled and waved back, so they motioned for her to join them.

As she approached the dock, the girls introduced themselves.

"Hey! You're that new girl from the U.S., right? I'm Kairi, and this is Yuffie."

"Yeah, that's me. My name is Aya. Cool to meet you guys."

"Well," said the girl indicated as Yuffie. "You've got all the stuff, so why don't you lay out with us?"

"Sounds good to me." Aya laid out her towel and reclined on the dock.

"So," the auburn-haired Kairi began. "What brings you out here to the Islands?"

"A hunger for freedom and a thirst for independence." Aya replied.

"Deep." Yuffie commented, pushing her short black hair out of her eyes. Aya laughed at Yuffie's little remark, and Kairi begged for an explanation.

"What do you mean, freedom and independence?"

"My dad... I'm sure you've heard of Ben Ransym." At this, the two girls lifted their shades once again and gawked at Aya in shock. After a short pause, the Yuffie broke the silence, as was her custom.

"He's your DAD?! No freaking way..." Aya gave a nervous smile as a reply.

"Don't be rude!" Kairi pushed Yuffie's forehead, forcing her to lay back down. "Sorry about her. So that's really cool! I bet you go to like V.I.P. parties and stuff, huh?"

"Yea, well that's why I wanted to come here. As weird as it may seem, that stuff gets old."

"I get what you're saying. You know, I used to-"

"HEADS UP!!" One of the boys yelled. As if on cue, Yuffie shot up, only to be met in the forehead by their ball. Kairi and Aya immediately burst into tears of laughter. Yuffie's head once again hit the boards of the dock, and Aya picked up the ball.

"So sorry." The blonde haired boy approached to retrieve the ball.

"No problem, Cloud. We could use a good laugh like that every once in awhile!"

"Yeah, HA HA HA!" Yuffie remarked sarcastically. Cloud gave a snorting laugh at this.

Aya had been sitting speechless this entire time.

"Oh great... Where's my head today?" he said. "I'm Cloud. Cloud Strife, captain of the Hikari High rugby team, the Scarabs. Nice to meet you..."

"Aya. Aya Ransym. Nice to meet you too." She said, mesmerized by the boys deep blue eyes.

"Oh wow. Any relation to Ben Ransym?" He asked.

"Yeah... he's my dad."

"You don't sound too proud of that." He laughed.

"It's not a lack of pride, it's a lack of personal identity."

"Okay, this girl is drowning me." Yuffie said through her towel. Once again, everyone laughed.

"Well, the guys are waiting. We better get back to practice."

"Practice? School doesn't start for another week." Aya questioned.

"Rugby practice goes all summer, fall, winter, and spring. It's the school's primary sport, next to swimming."

"Wow. Well I guess we'll see you guys out here a lot then."

"Trust me, you will." Yuffie mumbled. Aya rolled her eyes. Her attention was then caught by Kairi waving her arm in the air. She looked out to the beach and sure enough, there was a boy waving back.

"Sora... he talks about you all the time, Kai." Cloud commented. Kairi blushed.

Sora was a bit shorter than Cloud, with brown hair not as long as his. His spikes were tamer than clouds, but they shared the same blue eyes.

"I'll see you girls later then." Cloud said, turning to jog back to his team. Aya watched as perfection made his way to his post.

Kairi and Yuffie both noticed Aya's gaze. "Aya likes Cloud-ee! Aya likes Cloud-ee!" Yuffie sang (badly.)

"Hey, no comments from the peanut gallery over there!" This made Yuffie cover her face back up and roll over.

"So, welcome to Destiny Islands!" Kai giggled.

* * *

Notes- w00+. That one came out okay... R+R!

-VarekaiSoleil


	3. Maisha

Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters from Kingdom Hearts I or II.

Notes- Okeydokey... lets get this show on the road, shall we?

* * *

Chapter Three: Maisha

The girls remained on the boardwalk until the sun met with the horizon and the buys were long gone.

"Hey you guys?" Yuffie piped up.

"Yeah? What?" Aya replied. Kairi was half asleep under the blanket of the sun's fading warmth.

"Whaddya say to a night on the town?" Yuffie proposed as she gathered her things and sat up.

"Yeah!" Kairi became excited. "We can show Aya around Maisha!"

"... Maisha?" Aya tilted her head.

"Yeah! It's the downtown district of the Islands. They've got all kinds of awesome shops and restaurants. We should totally go!" Kairi was getting more psyched by the second.

"Yea and guess what else Kai..." Yuffie began mischievously.

"...What..." She said, afraid of what the answer might be.

"I heard some of the team members are gonna be down there tonight, too!" Yuffie teased with a huge, evil grin.

Aya and Kairi both grinned at this. Kairi longed for Sora, and Aya was intrigued by Cloud.

"So, I'll take that as a 'yes' from both?" Yuffie needlessly questioned.

"Sounds like fun!" Aya smiled. She couldn't wait to talk with Cloud.

"I'm in!" Kairi piped up. She wanted nothing more than time spent with Sora, and she would have it no other way.

* * *

Since they were young, Kairi and Sora had lived on the islands. With their best friend Riku completing the trio, they would explore and play pirate games until it was too dark to see. Riku and Sora always vied for Kairi's affections with flowers and gifts. Little did either of the boys know, Kairi had always loved Sora. It pained her daily to not express this, but she feared she would tear the boys apart. So, since her youth, she spent whatever time she could with Sora and contented herself with their friendly relationship. But a few months back, Riku left to pursue his career in music, and Kairi was now free to love Sora. One thing held her back, though: fear of rejection. Were all those childhood games just that? Games? Or had Sora really felt more than a friendship with her? Oh, how she longed to find out the truth.

* * *

"How about you guys go get your things and meet at my place? We can get ready there and then head on down to Maisha." Aya offered. "We can even use the golf cart Mr. Hullom left me!"

The girls all agreed on this plan, and they met at Aya's at approximately 6 P.M. She answered the door with a robe on.

"Come on in!" She welcomed the girls. "You guys can use the guest room and bathroom. There's snacks in the fridge, and, well... make yourselves at home!"

The girls all got ready for their night on Maisha. Aya wore her favorite jean skirt and a green tank top, Kairi was in a white summer dress with a pink short-sleeved crop hoodie, and Yuffie wore a black tee with jean shorts.

"We are lookin' good, if I do say so myself!" Yuffie commented as the girls got their purses and headed out the door. They went downstairs and under the house to where the golfcart was parked.

Kairi drove, and they found a parking spot right off the bridge to Maisha.

Maisha was bustling with teens and children. Shopping, eating, dancing... it had everything. The small storefronts were alight with neon sale signs. The restaurants were rumbling with conversation, and the brick roads were being scraped with heels and pebbles.

"C'mon! Let's hunt down those guys..." Yuffie said, taking both the girls by the arm and running off into the madness. Once they reached the center fountain, they sat and looked around.

"Hey! I think I see them!" Kairi pointed off into the crowd. "They're getting burgers at Charlie's! Let's go!" They all started off in the direction of Charlie's. When they got there, they noticed there were only three of the team members there: Cloud, Sora, and Leon.

Leon was as tall as Cloud, very lean. He wore black jeans and a leather vest with a white undershirt. He had an unusual number of belts around his hips... Aya counted four. He had dark brown hair, shaggy, yet styled in downward spikes, barely covering his eyes.

"Hey! Sora, Cloud, Leon!" Kairi called out. The boys looked up from their meals and waved, so the girls went over to talk with them.

"Hey you guys. Leon, this is Aya. She's new here on the islands, so we're taking her out for a night on the town. You guys wanna join us?"

"Sounds good to me. How 'bout you guys?" Cloud answered. They both nodded with mouthfuls of burger.

The girls sat for a milkshake while the guys finished their burgers, and then all six of them made their way down the strip. Yuffie and Leon walked ahead, leaving Kairi with Sora and Aya with Cloud. Aya and Cloud made their way into several novelty shops, trying on odd hats and laughing at funny shirts, while Kairi made sure she and Sora had quiet time. They stopped at another fountain after walking and talking for about a half hour.

"So... Kai... Heard from Riku?"

"Not since that phone call a few weeks ago."

"You miss him?" Sora asked, subtly asking if she had feelings for him.

"Not as much as I missed you when you left for rugby that one summer..." She blushed.

"Yea I remember... I missed you then too. Pretty bad actually... Cloud kept bugging me because all I talked about was you."

"Yeah... Truth is, I always liked you better than Riku. When we were little, I always hoped you'd be the one to save the pirate princess and win her hand in marriage..." Kairi spoke softly and became shy and a bit nervous.

"Wanna know something? Whenever Riku won... I would tell myself that you'd run away from him and come to me. That's what I wanted. But we were just kids... it's not like you had any feelings for either of us back then."

"Wrong... I loved you... and..." Kairi, about to confess her love to Sora, was taken by surprise by a gentle hand lifting her chin.

"I still do." Sora finished her sentence, leaning in and softly kissing her.

* * *

MEANWHILE 

From behind a tree several yards away...

"Look look look look look loo-" Yuffie was shut up by Aya's hand over her mouth.

"Hush!" Cloud hissed. They all crouched down and watched the happenings at the fountain.

"Finally..." Cloud breathed.

"Maybe now he'll shut up..." came Leon's reaction.

"We should go..." Aya whispered, pulling Yuffie up with her as she stood. They all rose and headed to a café a few steps away where they could watch from a safe distance.

* * *

Sora and Kairi sat at the fountain at length, her hand in his. Kairi cursed under her breath when her phone rang. She dug through her purse and pulled it out. The caller ID read "Aya." She flipped it open. 

"Hello?"

"Hey Kai. It's getting a bit late. Whaddya say we take the guys and head home?"

"Okay, sounds fine. Meet us at the bridge."

"Will do. See ya in five!"

-click-

"We've gotta head back. C'mon." Kairi sighed. She hated to go, but at least she could stop wondering now. They held hands all the way to the bridge and on the golf cart ride home.

"We're all staying at Cloud's place tonight." Sora explained. Cloud drove them there, and Aya took the wheel after that.

"Good night guys!" The girls all called out as the boys went inside. They then drove home to Aya's for the night. After showers and some hot tea and conversation about the evening, they all retired for the night.

* * *

Notes- I had fun with this one as well... R+R! Arigato and Sayonara! 

-VarekaiSoleil


	4. Boys Will Be Boys

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts I or II, or Final Fantasy.

**So, on again with the next chapter! I know I haven't updated in awhile, I've been so busy. Family in town, last minute school projects before spring break… but now that I'm on spring break, hopefully I'll be inspired to write more. Enjoy!

* * *

**

IV: Boys Will Be Boys…

Cloud awoke, his face buried in between his pillows. He slowly rolled out of bed.

_THUD_

He hit the hardwood floors like a sack of potatoes. Then Sora's head popped up from the foot of the bed.

"What are you doing down there Cloud?" He yawned, then proceeding to stretch and curl up back under the covers.

Cloud stood to see Sora's dirty feet resting comfortably on his white pillows.

"Damn it, Sora…" He groaned, tearing away the blankets and pushing the boy out of his bed.

_THUD (again)_

"Get up! Where's Leon?" His normal tone was taking place of the morning grog.

"He crashed in the main room." Sora recalled, sitting up and rubbing his forehead where it had met with the floor. Cloud slipped on a pair of jeans over his boxers and went out into the living room.

Leon was spread about the couch, half on and half falling off. One arm and one leg hung off the edge of the cushions, his cell phone grasped between his long fingers. He had slept in boxers and his sneakers. Cloud strolled coolly right past him and into the kitchen, where he then grabbed hold of the heaviest orange he could find and launched it at Leon, hitting him square in the back of the neck. Leon all but woke up.

Cloud crept up behind Leon and bent in close behind his ear. "MORNING, SUNSHINE!" He yelled. Leon now awoke with a start, rolling right off the couch and crashing onto the ground.

_THUD (Last time, promise.)_

"What was… that… for…." Leon sat up and yawned. Just as he had gained some composure, he was slammed in the face with a rugby ball. Sora followed it, now fully dressed in his scrimmaging jersey.

"Because," Cloud began. "As Sora has plainly displayed, we're practicing today. We're heading to the beach in an hour. Eat that orange." Cloud demanded with an unbreakable authority. Leon scoffed and began peeling the orange.

As Leon began getting dressed, Cloud made several phone calls to round up the team. It was eight-thirty in the morning, relatively late for them to begin practice for the day. In the middle of a phone call, he heard a short beep that indicated call waiting.

"Hold on, I gotta take this." He said to Tidus, who was on the other end.

-click-

"Hello?"

"Hey Cloud! It's me, Aya."

"Oh hey!" He said with excitement. "What's goin' on?"

"Nothing, we were wondering if you guys wanted to hang out with us today."

"Well me and the guys are having a scrimmage on the beach, but I'm sure you girls wouldn't mind watching, seeing as how Yuffie and Kairi are always staring when we play."

"Sounds good!" Aya laughed. "We'll be down there soon."

"Good. See you in a little while!"

-click-

"Hey, Tidus? Yea, practice is at nine. Be there." He hung up. "Alright... C'mon you lazy-ass!" Cloud nearly screamed at Leon, who had returned to sitting cross-legged on the floor, content with his orange. Leon cowered and jumped up to get the golf cart started.

"SORA!" He called to the back of the house. "ME AND CLOUD WILL BE WAITING IN THE-"

"SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT! I'M RIGHT HERE!" Sora shouted into Leon's hair. Leon jolted once again. "Let's go already!" Sora commanded.

* * *

Down at the beach, the tide was going out as the boys set their things on the dock. Wakka, Tidus, and the other teammates were already warming up. 

Leon, who was still not entirely awake, stood staring out onto the horizon.

"Look out!" Someone called. Before he could turn to investigate, two bodies crashed into him from behind, sending all three into the chilly, shallow waves. Leon felt the cold water stinging his chest where the harsh sand had left a rash. His jeans were now soaking, and he was cold and wet.

"You guys suck!" He pouted. The two boys, Wakka and Sora, just pushed him around a bit and walked off laughing.

"Loosen up!" They called to him.

"I'm freaking tired! Hey Cloud, why are we here so early?" He said, looking around for his blonde-haired friend.

"Because," came a voice from behind him. "Season starts in a few weeks, and I'll be damned if we let any of those mainland teams beat us." Leon turned to see Cloud standing tall, tossing the ball up and down.

Practice began, and the boys played for hours. At around ten, the girls had arrived on the beach. The sun was high, so they laid on the dock to bask in its warmth.

"Hey, so Aya... What do you think of Cloud?" Yuffie nosed her way into Aya's thoughts, which were already on the gorgeous blonde.

"He's wicked awesome. Soooo hot!" She said aloud, although her thoughts were elsewhere. She kept silent, though, since Yuffie didn't seem like the type to understand that Aya truly was growing to love Cloud in a deeper way.

"Yeah, he's a lady killer." Kairi remarked. Aya scoffed jokingly.

"Well what about your Sora? What's so great about him?" Aya retorted.

Kairi thought. _Everything_. But she dare not say it. "He's the best player on the rugby team!" She boasted. _What am I getting myself into... _

"Oh yea? HEY GUYS!" Aya called to the team. She stood up, grabbing Yuffie and Kairi and dragging them along with her as she ran to the shore where the boys were standing, looking annoyed and confused. "Kairi here says that Sora is the best player on the team."

Sora blushed crimson, and everyone noticed.

"Oh really? Is that a challenge?" Cloud purred, stepping closer and looking down at Aya, who was significantly shorter than him.

"Yeah! Maybe it is!" She stepped up into his face and snarled.

"Well then it's on! Sora and me will pick teams and whoever's team wins is the better player!" Cloud had now turned around directing his attention to everyone encircling him.

"You're on!" Sora stepped out of the group to meet Cloud eye to eye. Cloud smirked, then turning back to Aya.

"I'll show you who's the better player..." He whispered to her. All three girls could hear him, though, and it was obvious he was doing this to show off for her. Before she could reply, he turned and ran off to where they were picking teams.

"But... I... never... said that..." She choked out, speaking pointlessly to his now retreating figure.

Yuffie had already made her way back to the dock to lay down. "Screw that... I need a tan..." She mumbled to herself. Kairi and Aya followed her.

"Well, boys will be boys..." Kairi mused as she and Aya resumed their positions as well.

* * *

**This is kind of a light hearted chapter... short too, sorry... the next one will get into Cloud and Aya's relationship more. I've got a great little chapter planned for next time... The more reviews, the faster you'll see me update! R+R! Arigato and Sayonara!**

-VarekaiSoleil


	5. But Girls Will Be Damsels in Distress

Disclaimer- I do not own Kingdom Hearts I or II, or Final Fantasy.

**Well lookie here! Two chapters in one week! That's what spring break can do to a girl... I may even find time for another before break is over. Let me know what you think. Onward!

* * *

**

V: But Girls Will Be Damsels in Distress

The sun beat down on the backs of the boys as they rumbled through the sand. Fighting for the title of best player on the team, Cloud and Sora's faces were fierce and constant.

The girls yawned in the breeze.

As the hours flew by, the sun passed overhead until it kissed the edge of the water and the sky turned to a swirl of burning reds and oranges.

"Maybe we should call it off..." Aya breathed softly as she rose from her half-sleep. The boys were still tearing at each other's limbs. All of them showed signs of fatigue, that is, with the exception of Sora and Cloud. Though sweat and sand tangled with their hair in their faces, they continued to glare at each other with singeing hot fury. I mean, they just HAD to know who was the best player on the team.

"They're really best friends..." Kairi recalled. "But competitive as all get out."

"I can see that..." Aya said, standing. She stretched before calling out,"Hey boys! Guess what?! CLOUD WINS!" She picked the winner at not-exactly-random.

"HA!" Came the call of victory from Cloud's parched and sandy lips. "I... WIN..." His voice faded off and he fell into the sand, joining all the other teammates who had _been_ lying down.

"Yeah... well... I barely... even... broke... a sweat..." Sora attempted to boast, but he to crashed into the sand, breathing heavily.

"C'mon, Kai, let's go help them up..." Yuffie motioned for Kairi to follow her to where the bodies lay. They were used to this... this was their summer, twenty-four seven.

Kairi heaved as she lifted Sora's shoulders. Yuffie began to lift Cloud, but he was able to get himself to stand up straight. He looked around to find the girl he was secretly fighting this whole time to impress.

Aya was gone.

Her things lay on the dock, but she was no where to be seen.

She was simply **gone**.

"You guys, where's Aya?" Cloud questioned, panic already rising in his chest.

"Um... we left her right there... Aya? AYA!" Yuffie called out for her. Cloud went to the next level.

"AYA!? **_AYA!! _**WHERE ARE YOU?!?" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

Everyone panicked.

The girls ran over to look under the dock. Cloud stumbled over to the boardwalk and the adjacent boulders to search for her.

"AYA!" The call rang through the darkening air. Sora began awakening the guys to help look for her.

As the girls searched the dock, they came upon footprints in the sand. They followed the path with their eyes and found they were leading in the direction of the kapok tree where Cloud was already searching frantically.

"Hey Cloud! Her footprints go that way!" Kairi yelled to him. He paused for a moment, looking to the small ditches in the sand left by Aya.

As he tore through the underbrush to the roots of the towering tree, he came across a small glowing object. The screen read _7:34 PM, 7/18_. It was Aya's cell phone. He began to dig with more fury through the branches and moss, desperately searching for the girl he was growing to love. His panic multiplied by the second.

Suddenly, as he reached to grab a hold of more obstacle underbrush and throw it out of the way, his arm failed to meet with anything solid and sunk right through a pile of leaves, grabbing hold of nothing but cold air. He paused for a split second, then heaving the junk out of the way to see the small entrance to a dark cave.

"YOU GUYS! GET OVER HERE NOW! I FOUND SOMETHING!" He called to the others. Sora left his hopeless task of waking the other guys and ran to meet Cloud, as did Kairi and Yuffie. "Look," Cloud pointed as his friends gathered around him. They stared in awe and confusion at the deep void accompanied by Aya's cell phone, laying a few feet away.

"Good luck with that!" Sora scoffed. Kairi promptly nudged him roughly in the gut. "Oooohhh..." His groaned sickly, sounding as if he were ready to empty his stomach.

"Cloud... are you gonna go in there?" Yuffie questioned him, wondering if he was seriously _that_ determined. "I mean she might not even be-"

"Where the _hell_ else could she be?! I'm going in, of course. I have to!" He retorted.

"Be careful..." Kairi placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" He said with a smile. True, he had never been one to get himself into a situation unless he was completely confident about the outcome. But this was different... he knew not what was beyond the dark gap, but he also didn't doubt the urgency of his actions. "Here... Take her phone. I have mine. I'll call if something goes wrong." He handed the phone at first to Yuffie, but harshly retracted his hand at the last second and gave it to Kairi.

Both girls knew he never even considered the possibility of something going wrong, but they could only watch as his retreating figure faded quickly into the dark void.

Seconds later, they heard the far away _tpp-tpp _of his feet hitting the ground.

"You okay?" Kairi called.

No answer.

* * *

**MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I feel so evil... but this is getting fun. Now... I'm going to be out until tomorrow morning/afternoon-ish, so the next update will be most likely tomorrow or the day after. Hope you liked it! And PLEASE review, I really need to know what you think as readers. It is IMPERATIVE that you review. Now. Arigato and Sayonara!**

-VarekaiSoleil


	6. Fruitless Efforts

Disclaimer- I do not own Kingdom Hearts I or II, or Final Fantasy.

**Now the story is getting interesting... with a week till school starts and a missing girl, I think I've got my work cut out for me. Moving right along...

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VI: Fruitless Efforts

Cloud landed on the ground, his feet slipping slightly on the moldy, yet rock solid earth. He squinted in search of light, in search of anything that could guide him, but to no avail. He pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open. The dim white light was enough for him to spot a tunnel leading to where, he could only guess. He began to feel his way along the moist, narrow walls of the tunnel, occasionally stumbling over a root or slipping across the moldy surface.

This continued for what seemed like forever in the damp, suffocating darkness. As he continued further into the tunnel, he began to hear the sounds of running water. This boosted his spirits so much that he began to walk faster, then running clumsily towards the sound. Before long, he came upon a barely lit cave with a pond in the center. A hole in the ceiling left by decayed roots allowed for just enough moonlight to seep into the underground cavity. He looked around for any sign of Aya.

"Aya?" He called, making sure not to yell too loud, lest he cause the walls to cave in around him. "Can you hear me?" But only the sound of rushing water, becoming ever closer, reached his ears.

He looked around the cave as hard as he could, given the small amount of light there was. Down by the edge of the pond, he spotted something white and partially transparent stuck to a rock. He lifted it up and shook it off. It was Aya's skirt, the one she wore over her bikini.

_So she _is_ here..._

He then followed the stream that led down another tunnel and into an enormous cave. The source of the rushing water was apparent: a large waterfall adorned the rocky ledge near the roof of the cave. Another opening in the ceiling revealed the moon, now high in the sky. He called her name again, but still no answer.

Cloud looked around again for anything else of Aya's that might tell him where she was. After finding nothing on the surface, he resolved to search deeper. He stripped of his sweaty jersey and jeans and dove into the lake.

His fatigued muscles were happily met by the crisp, soothingly cool waters of the dark lake. He could see clearly to the bottom, nothing but jagged rocks. He came up for breath near the waterfall.

Behind the waterfall, he noticed a tall, narrow opening. As he moved in closer, he realized that it led deep into the base of the cliff. He ran around the lake shore to retrieve his clothes and went back behind the waterfall to investigate. He slipped on his jeans and tucked his jersey into his back pocket. As he strolled cautiously down the passageway, he notice several tunnels leading away from the hall he was in. They were all lit by even more gaps in the rock ceiling, which were becoming more and more frequent. Once again, he called Aya's name. Still no reply.

His wet feet slid against the ground as he continued to search for her. As the night became darker and darker, the moon was covered by clouds and the light entering the caves dispersed. His vision became limited once again, but he continued to grope his way along the roots and rocks of the tunnels and caves in search of Aya. He began to logically analyze the situation.

_If she really is down here... then how? How did she end up here, so deep into this underground spring? She's gotta be somewhere around here... I found her skirt... _He felt his pocket to make sure he still had the balled up garment.

_If she's alive, she could be moving... harder for me to find her. I'd rather take forever to find her then find her sooner, and dead... _He shuddered at the thought of his newly found love, dying in the cold wet recesses of this place. Deep in his cheeks he felt tears coming on, but quickly diverted them.

_I've checked everywhere from the entrance to here... it's not likely that I missed her... _His mind tossed about the possibilities. _She could be unconscious. But how the hell did she get here in the first place? Could she have been kidnaped? Maybe_ _she's being controlled... no, that's insanity..._ He tried to rule out the illogical scenarios.

Two more hours passed before Cloud found himself resting on the cold hard ground, barely managing to keep his eyes open. All the light had disappeared from around him, and he couldn't see an inch from his nose. He had been searching for nearly six hours, according to his cell phone, which was indicating a time of 1:18 AM. He was drained, physically and mentally, and he was left with no choice but to cease his efforts until he could see, or even stand up.

Slowly but surely, Cloud succumbed to the darkness as his mind drifted into an unstable state of sleep.

* * *

Everyone on the beach had woken up, and some of the guys put together a bonfire. Yuffie and Kairi were huddled together on a pool raft, sleeping not-so-soundly. Sora watched over them while the others talked amongst themselves.

Since Yuffie and Kairi refused to leave the beach until Cloud and Aya returned, Sora had no choice but to stay as well. The other boys were convinced by Sora's commanding glare that they should stick around, too.

The wind was beginning to blow harder as the digital clock on Sora's phone read 2:02 AM. The fire danced furiously in the wind, and its light flashed against Kairi's barely closed eyes, waking her. She crawled out of Yuffie's tight grip and over to Sora, who was wrapped in a blanket, staring blankly into the fire. He jumped slightly and hiccuped, startled by her sudden presence.

She yawned, curling up closer to him. "What time is it...?" She said softly.

"Two," he answered plainly. He tried to stifle a yawn, but unsuccessfully. She cuddled up closer, and he wrapped his blanketed arm around her. She leaned into him and closed her eyes once again as he rested his chin on her head.

"I hope they're okay..." Kairi said doubtingly.

"They are, I promise. Cloud isn't stupid, he'll get them out alive and well. No bout a doubt it." Sora yawned again.

"No doubt about it, you mean?"

"Yea... that..." He mumbled as his eyes slowly shut.

The gang all rested, although their sleep was disturbed with waking thoughts of their missing friends. No one spoke more that three words. They all just waited in silence, staring into the fire.

* * *

**Teehee... I hope you're enjoying it. SUSPENSE!!! And Cloud really likes Aya... but will he find her alive? And what is to become of him in the cold, wet darkness where no one can find him? READ ON TO FIND OUT! That is, when I post the next chapter... R+R, if you know what is good for you. Like I said, it is IMPERATIVE that you review and tell me what you think. IMPERATIVE!!!! Arigato and Sayonara!**

**-VarekaiSoleil**


	7. Critical Condition

**Okay, I put disclaimers on all of my other chapters of every story I've written. I think it goes without saying, I don't own them... if I did, would I be here? No, I don't think so. So, from now on, I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS I OR II, NOR DO I OWN FINAL FANTASY AND/OR THE ADVENT CHILDREN MOVIE. There. That applies to the rest of these chapters, so I don't have to waste TIME and SPACE repeating myself. Moving right along... very good...

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VII: Critical Condition

A little more than an hour after collapsing, Cloud woke up to find himself leaning on a jagged rock, sweating profusely. He'd had a bad dream, but awoke to find himself in the midst of his worst nightmare.

**

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When Cloud was very young, four or five, he visited the beach with his mother every evening. When they would leave, his mother would carry his sleeping form back to their house and put him to bed. He had loved her like no other. One day, they were packing up to head home from the beach when she disappeared. Despite the rigorous efforts of all the islanders, she was never found.**

**Now, it is the moment of truth for the young blonde. He has to find Aya. He cannot lose another love to this mysterious disappearing act. He will find her alive, because failure is not an option. **

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He shook himself of his painful memories. As he rose to continue on his search, he felt a sharp pain in his back. During his uncomfortable sleep, he had obtained a rather nasty gash in his lower back from the sharp rocks on the ground. He dipped his jersey in the a small pool, using the cool water to clean his wound. He wrapped the jersey around his waist to stop the slow bleeding and continued on.

It was nearing five in the morning before he came upon another large cave with vents in the ceiling. Here there was also another waterfall that fed into a large lake. But this time, there was something different about the lake. As he examined it closer, he concluded that this particular pool was definitely man-made. Now, even more perplexed than before, he continued on to the back of the waterfall, where he assumed there were even more intricate halls and tunnels.

As he entered the hall, this one much larger than the last, his expectations were met. Exactly as he thought, there were identical passages leading in four different directions.

"Aya?" He called for her again.

The _dnk-dnk-dnk _of a pebble across the floor met his ears.

Cloud excitedly followed the sound, believing it to be made by none other than Aya. Through the farthest hall on the left, he felt his way through the darkness.

The hall was extremely long, winding in all different directions. At several places it widened, giving him a place to sit and rest every twenty minutes or so.

It was nearing six-thirty, and Cloud was blessed with the first rays of sunlight through the holes in the ceiling. He had reached what seemed to be the end of the maze. There was only a single niche in the wall where he hadn't searched. If Aya was not here, he had failed.

"Aya...?" He said a little softer, not wanting to believe the truth if he had not found her.

A soft scuff from the cavity in the wall.

He quickly ran up to investigate, his hopes higher than ever before. He paused when he saw what lay before him, but only for a split second before lunging forward.

There she lay, a barely-conscious Aya. She was bruised and bleeding, her breathing shallow, but she had a pulse and a heartbeat. Cloud fell to his knees and scooped her limp, delicate figure into his arms. She was in her bikini, which was now blood-stained, and a loose-fitting tank top. He pinpointed a critical spot on her leg that was bleeding profusely, and he wrapped it in her skirt. He picked her up bridal style and silently thanked the heavens that she was alive. He began his journey back to the surface, holding her closely the entire time.

He carried her for hours back through the dark, damp tunnels, praying that she could cling to life until he could get her to safety. At eleven, four and a half hours later, he had reached the exit. He shifted Aya onto one arm and began tackling the roots to reach the gap. Just as soon as he was close enough, he lifted her body out of the hole and quickly climbed out after her. The sun was beating down, making the sand burn hot white.

Everyone had left with the exception of Sora, Yuffie, and Kairi, who were passed out with exhaustion around a pile of burnt wood. He heaved Aya up into his arms and carried her over to the dock, where he wrapped her in one towel and laid her on another. Propping her head up with a third towel, he ran as fast as his legs would carry him to wake the others.

"You guys!" He yelled at them. "Wake up, dammit! I've found her!"

At this, Sora awoke slowly, but the girls both shot up and ran to the dock, led by Cloud.

"She's alive, but she's in critical condition. We need to get her to the hospital, and now. Yuffie, go get a golf car. Kai, get Sora and get to the hospital as fast as you can. Tell them we're on our way with an injured girl, and she needs immediate attention. Now GO!" He instructed them.

Moments later, Yuffie returned, recklessly driving their makeshift ambulance. Cloud lifted Aya into the back seat and commanded Yuffie to hold on to her while he drove. At top speed, they reached the hospital within five minutes. Yuffie burst through the doors dramatically and Cloud ran in behind her, Aya in his arms. A nurse noticed them immediately.

"Oh my god! Hurry, we've got a room waiting!" She opened doors and led them to a room not to far away, where Cloud laid Aya's nearly lifeless body on a hospital bed. The nurse hurriedly started tending to her wounds. As she began to remove Aya's swimsuit, she gave the two boys a nasty glare, and they quickly scuttled into the hall. The girls remained in the room to aid the nurse.

"Will she be okay?" Kairi asked, worry apparent in her voice.

"She'll be fine, as long as we get these cuts cleaned up to avoid infection. We'll give her some medicine, and she should come to in a few hours."

"Thank the heavens..." Yuffie sighed.

After they had wrapped Aya in a hospital gown and dressed her wounds, the boys were allowed to come back in the room. With Aya still unconscious, Cloud said not a word, but sat at her bedside and waited silently. Kairi and Yuffie had left to get lunch, and Sora sat asleep in a chair.

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**DUN DUN DUN!! Well, not really... I mean I'm pretty sure that you all know I'm not cruel enough to kill her off, but still... DUN DUN DUN is fun to say. Review, my little pretties! IT IS MANDATORY! You must. Arigato and Sayonara!**

**-VarekaiSoleil**


	8. Life and Love

You all know I don't own them. This is pretty much pointless, one way or another. I mean come on...

**On to the next chapter! I'm excited. Hopefully I'll be able to get one or two more out this weekend before school starts again. We have this Friday off, so that's a whole extra day for me to write. Onward!

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VIII: Life and Love

Cloud had nodded off with Aya's hand warmly in his own. As he sat resting with his forehead on the edge of her bed, Kairi and Yuffie returned with sandwiches for their lunch. They woke up Sora, but could not bear to disturb the scene by the bed.

"You think she'll be okay?" Sora asked as he took a bite of his turkey sub.

"Da nursh shed she will wakch up." Yuffie replied, mouthful of tuna salad and wheat. She was spewing bits of the smelly fish all over the table, and Kairi and Sora stared in disgust.

"She'll be fine. Cloud is so devoted to her... He'd never let her go." Kairi mused.

"Dey've onwy known eacsh oder fo – three days." Sora commented, pausing to swallow his food.

"You guys are gross." Kairi stated matter-of-factly as she took a dainty bite of her veggie sub.

Back at the bedside, Cloud was still fast asleep. He felt a barely sensible twitch from the fingers in his hand, causing him to stir. Then there was a silence in the room as everyone watched Aya. The silence was broken by the sound of Aya, gasping for air as she gripped Cloud's hand tightly.

"Oh my God! She's awake!" came Kairi's response as she, Yuffie, and Sora all dropped their food and ran to her bedside. Cloud had yet to say a word.

Aya was coughing and wheezing, struggling for breath as Cloud stroked her hand.

"It's okay... shh... calm down. Take a deep breath..." He soothed her. "Everything's alright, I'm here... I've got you..."

She slowly began to regulate her breathing, as did everyone else in the room.

"You two go find a nurse. Tell her she's woken up." Then he turned to Aya as they left the room. "Are you okay? Hurting, hungry, dizzy..."

"I'm fine, silly!"

_Silly?! _He thought. _I've been worried sick and she's calling me **silly**?!_

Despite this, he sighed a breath of relief. "So you don't need anything?"

"A glass of water would be nice. All I can taste is salt..." She said, coughing again and leaning back on her pillow. "My neck and head hurt... I need an aspirin."

"We'll tell the nurse." He paused and looked at her slightly smiling face. "I was so worried about you. I searched all day and night and... I thought I had lost you."

She blushed at this.

"I... I'm glad you found me. I don't even remember what happened... Where was I?" She had obviously blacked out for the whole ordeal.

"I found you... and don't think I'm crazy... But you were underground, in this crazy maze-labyrinth thing. There was a lot of water and I think there were, at one point, people down there. There were some man-made structures, and you were at the very heart of the whole thing."

She had the look of a first grader attempting to read Poe. Beyond confusion.

"I don't remember anything... I was packing up my things, and then when I stood up there was a tall, dark figure in front of me. I started to scream but before I could even breathe, I blacked out. I don't know who did it... or how, or why... Just a skinny cloaked, figure staring down at me."

Cloud had the look of a grandmother trying to play video games. Beyond confusion.

After a moment, he shook it off. "All that matters now is that you're here, safe and alive." He smiled at her. She tried to sit up, but struggled, so he wrapped her arm around his shoulders and gave her a lift. He propped her up with some pillows and brushed her hair out of her face. "You're so..." He stopped. He couldn't make himself say it.

"What?" She tilted her head, only to wince from the pain in her neck.

"It's just... I've never seen any girl more beautiful... and strong. I've known you for three days, and... I'm amazed." He choked on his last few words, nervous and shy.

"I... I don't know what to say, except... I noticed you the first time I stepped onto that beach. Among all the guys... you stood out, and I don't even know why... I wanted to get closer to you, get to know you. I felt drawn..."

"You took the words right out of my mouth." He lifted her hand and kissed it. Just as he laid her delicate hand on the bed, their friends entered, Yuffie toting a nurse by the arm. They were panting and had obviously been running through the halls.

"See! I told you she was awake..." Yuffie told the nurse.

"Wow! We didn't expect you to wake up for weeks!" The nurse looked awestricken.

"Yeah, well come on! Stop staring and bring the girl some aspirin and water, for cripes' sake!" Cloud demanded. The nurse cowered at his booming authority.

"Yes... right away..." She scuttled off into the hallway. Yuffie and Kairi had already pushed Cloud away from the bedside and were rambling on to Aya about how worried sick they had been. Sora stood beside them, still tired from barely having slept, but relived and excited nonetheless.

"You guys, you guys... GUYS!" Aya yelled to get the girls to calm down. "I'm fine! I missed you, too!" She lied. She would have, if she was even conscious. "Look... if you really want to help, get Sora to drive you to my house and get me some clothes... this hospital gown is a bit... indecent."

"Sure! Come on..." Kairi piped up, grabbing Sora by the arm and dragging his exhausted body out to their had-been ambulance cart. Yuffie followed on their heels, bouncing excitedly, as she had a tendency to do.

"Aya... You've got clothes right there..." Cloud nodded in the direction of her night stand.

"I know." She stated plainly. Then she stuck out her bottom lip and reached out towards Cloud as a child might reach for the candy on the top shelf. He looked around, as if to verify that she was reaching for him. She gave a small whine, again childlike, just before he crossed the room to where she was laying. He took her outstretched hand and kissed it again. He sat on her bedside and gazed into her eyes.

"Cloud..." She began.

He half expected her to ask why he was staring, but she didn't.

"Thank you... for saving my life. I owe you one." She smiled.

"Oh really?" He smiled devilishly. "I think a little kiss from the most beautiful girl in the world will suffice..." He looked at her expectantly.

"Gladly, and with pleasure." She smiled. At first he wasn't sure if she was serious, but he leaned in towards her, despite this. When she didn't draw back, he relaxed more. He placed a gentle hand on the back of her neck, being sure not to hurt her. She drew up the strength to lean in a tiny bit, and both their eyes closed softly as their lips brushed together.

They barely made contact at first, but he was quick to gently seal the gap. He kissed her very softly, still aware of her delicate state. It was she who intensified the kiss by pressing her lips against his firmly, opening her mouth ever so slightly and inviting him to do the same. As he did, their tongues met, just barely, and they both gently deepened the kiss until they were lip-locked, holding each other. As Aya tried to move her neck more, she gave a small wince at the pain and Cloud immediately parted from her, so afraid of hurting her.

"Sorry..." She whispered. "It just hurts..."

"Don't apologize..." He was about to say something just as he heard the doorknob jiggle.

In anticipation of what may happen, he had stealthily locked the door. At least until she was better, no one should see them together. He unlocked the door, and in came the nurse with a tray containing two pills, a glass of water, and some crackers. The trio followed close behind.

"Umm... May I ask why the door was locked?" Kairi raised an eyebrow at Cloud.

"Faulty door handle... must have slipped when you guys closed it." He lied with a straight face.

* * *

**WOO! I know a few of my readers have been waiting for a little romance... I hope that was satisfying! And it will definitely get better... not just along the lines of romance, but plot and hopefully suspense also. Hope you enjoyed. But the only way I'll know is if you... REVIEW! So you probably should, even if you don't like it. If you don't, tell me why, but NO FLAMES! I don't like fire... it hurts me. Arigato and Sayonara!**

**-VarekaiSoleil**


	9. Take Me Home!

We both know I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy in any way, shape, or form. Live with it.

**This will be my last chapter for the weekend. I'm not sure if I'll be able to update during the week, but I will try my best. I'm definitely not going to rush, because then the chapters will come out badly... and no one wants that. Read on!

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IX: Take Me Home!

"I just fixed this door..." The nurse said suspiciously, giving Cloud a look. He just shrugged as if to say _"Well, I didn't break it..."_

The nurse waved it off and placed the tray on Aya's night stand. "Eat these crackers as soon as you feel like you can keep them down. You're very strong..." The nurse said as she began to undress Aya's wounds to reapply medicine. To her enormous surprise, the cuts and bruises had ceased bleeding completely and were almost totally healed.

"Woah..." Cloud said as he peered over to the side of the bed to see Aya's leg, nearly healed. "That's some potent stuff..." He said, indicating the ointment the nurse was holding.

"I guess so..." Yuffie said, stepping closer to have a look.

"Is she okay to go home, then?" Kairi asked.

"Please take me home!" Aya whined.

"Um... I guess so... Just stay for a litte while longer to make sure nothing goes wrong, and take those painkillers for your head and neck. I'll ask the doctor to come take one more look before dismissing you." The nurse, still with a befuddled look on her face, left the room slowly.

"How did you..." Cloud began.

"I have no clue..." Aya answered. She ran her fingers over some of the cuts that were now merely scabs and scars. She brushed it off and took the pills, then asking the boys to leave and the girls to help her to the bathroom.

"Ugh... I feel disgusting." Aya groaned as she splashed cold water in her face. Yuffie helped her tie her hair back, and then they both helped her back to her bed. "You can come back in now!" She called to the boys, who promptly reentered.

"So, how are you feeling?" Sora had gotten some sleep and was now in the proper mood to sit at the hospital all day, if there was such a mood.

"Great... I'm still a bit sore, but I'm conscious, and not bleeding... So I think I'm doing pretty good!" She smiled.

"You really had us scared..." Kairi said softly.

"You don't even know the half of it..." Cloud said in response.

"We were scared for both of you." Yuffie indicated Cloud.

"It was nothing, I just didn't want anything to happen to her." He said as he plopped down in a chair, relaxing for the first time since she disappeared. "Ahhh...!" He hissed, leaning forward sharply. Then he remembered his gash from the night he spent in the caves. Untying his makeshift bandage, he revealed a blood-caked slash extending from his lower right rib cage to his left hip. It wasn't bleeding, but it was burning now that he had leaned on it.

"Dammit!" He cursed. "I completely forgot... I cut myself the night I slept in the caves."

"You SLEPT down there?" Aya said, shocked.

"I had to. I was down there all night and all day." He ran a wet cloth across the cut, rubbing off some of the dried blood. He winced a bit, but then regained his normal Cloud-like composure. Just as the nurse returned for a checkup, he asked her for some sufficient bandages to cover his cut.

When the nurse returned with the bandages, she was accompanied by a doctor.

"So, how are we feeling, Miss Ransym?" He said as he leaned on the counter and pulled out a clipboard and a pen. The nurse was tending to Cloud.

"I feel great, actually. The only cut I can still feel is on my ankle, but it was pretty deep." She told him.

"Well, let's have a look-see..." He examined her ankle and found that she did indeed have a scratch there, but it was healing nicely. "It doesn't look like a problem. It'll be fine in a day or so."

"So can we take her home?" Cloud asked anxiously.

"Sure, as soon as I prescribe her some painkillers for her sprain. That'll take a few minutes, and then you can get your things and be on your way!"

"Thank you so much!" Aya smiled as Cloud sighed a breath of relief. Kairi and Yuffie were smiling and giggling, while Sora was getting all their things together.

* * *

Just an hour later, Aya was sitting in the front of the golf cart (the group had officially dubbed it The Ambulance) which Cloud was driving to her house, their three friends in the back seat. As they pulled up to Aya's house, Cloud and Sora couldn't believe the size of the place.

"And you live here by yourself?" Sora said in disbelief.

"Yeah... It used to be my dad's place, but he's put it under my name while I go to school."

"It's... large..." Cloud said as he opened the door for Aya. Once inside, the boys were left staring while the three girls all made themselves comfortable like it was no big deal. Kairi and Yuffie began making smoothies while Aya put her clothes away. Sora had made himself comfortable on the couch in front of the TV, while Cloud went down the hall to assist Aya.

"Need any help in here?" He said, peering through the open door. Aya was knelt down beside her dresser, folding her spare clothes from the hospital visit. She turned and replied with a smile. As he came in, she stood up and smiled again. He took her hand and returned the smile.

"I'm glad you're home safe, Aya." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"I'm glad you're here with me, Cloud." She replied. She squeezed his hand back as he pulled her into a hug.

"I thought I would lose you..." He said in a low voice. She replied by simply nuzzling into his chest, taking a deep breath, soaking him in. There was a moment of silence before she looked up at him, which was quite a feat, seeing as how he was a good eight inches taller than her.

"I guess your neck feels better." He raised an eyebrow.

"Sure does." She returned the gesture. Then, just as she expected, he leaned in for a kiss. She graciously accepted, and their lips met in a soft, innocent kiss.

"Guess what..." He said as they parted.

"Hmm?" She replied softly.

"I think I like you." He blushed, which was not part of his plan, but he couldn't help it.

She giggled. "I like you, too, Cloud." She couldn't stop giggling.

"What are you giggling about?" He said with a smile.

"Nothing..."

"HEY AYA!" Yuffie called from the kitchen. "WE NEED YOUR SMOOTHIE EXPERTISE!"

Without another word, Aya gave Cloud a quick kiss, then left the room with an alluring smile.

"COMING!" She called back.

* * *

**She's home! So now what... Only I know! Hope you liked it! R+R, it is MANDATORY! Have fun! Arigato and Sayonara!**

**-VarekaiSoleil**


	10. Teachers, Books, and Very Dirty Looks

Only Aya is my creation.

**Okay, so now she's home and all is well... which means it's time for me to unfold the next part of the plot! Here we go...

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X: Teachers, Books, and Very Dirty Looks

It had been a week since Aya disappeared. School had started, and all the friends were attending Hikari High: Destiny Islands. The fact that her new school was merely a branch of her old school located on the islands helped Aya feel much more at home.

* * *

Aya walked the halls with Cloud, Kairi, and Leon. The sophomores shared the same lunch, while their friends had a separate lunch time. On their way to the cafeteria, Aya bumped into a teacher.

"Sorry," she said timidly. The woman turned and glared at Aya. She was tall, with very short black hair. Her long, thin limbs were completely covered in black clothes and she wore a purple jacket.

"Watch it, girl." She hissed as she turned and walked on her way.

"Ouch..." Leon commented.

"What's her problem?" Cloud asked rhetorically. They didn't realize that Aya had stopped walking. She was still a few feet behind them, staring in the direction in which the woman had left.

Aya could not make herself move. Her stomach twisted at the sight of that ghastly teacher, and her mind was awash with thoughts of those terrible green eyes. Just that one look from the woman had put Aya into a trance-like state.

"Aya?" A voice in her ear and a hand on her shoulder startled her. She swung around, and Cloud took a few curls to the face. "Woah, calm down." He said.

"Oh, you scared me..." She breathed. "Never mind... let's go." She pushed him in the direction of the cafeteria.

* * *

After they ate, Kairi and Aya went to their next class: Science.

As they entered the room, Kairi elbowed Aya and giggled.

"Check out the dorky-looking teacher!" Kairi couldn't stop giggling. Aya paid no attention until she was in her seat.

Just her luck. Their substitute was the woman from earlier. As she turned to address the class, she threw Aya a quick, unnerving glare. Aya breathed in sharply and held her breath. Kairi nudged her.

"She's got problems... Why did she look at you like that?"

"I... I h-have no... idea..." Aya stuttered nervously.

"Class! Listen to me!" A poison-soaked, smoky voice resonated throughout the room. Everyone was immediately silent. "I am Mr. Hullom's substitute today." Everyone sighed. Mr. Hullom, who insisted that all his students call him Kei, was the coolest teacher in the school. "Hush! Now... You may call me Ms. Lily. Your teacher has left you an assignment on the board. Get to work, and NO TALKING!" She sat down in Mr. Kei's chair like she was royalty, and she flipped open an ancient looking book, reading it intently.

Everyone reached for their books, while Aya remained motionless. Her stomach was churning and her mind was racing with blurry flashbacks and suspicions of who the teacher was. She began to feel her temperature rising and her vision became smoky. Before she could ask to leave, she fainted and fell limp on the ground.

"Ah! Aya!" Kairi pushed her books aside and knelt on the ground. She tried to help Aya up, but she was just dead weight. One of the boys in the class lifted her up instead.

"Ms. Lily! Aya fainted!" Kairi yelled across the room.

"Bloody troublemaker... Fine. Take her to the nurse." The teacher huffed, her green eyes piercing Kairi's thoughts.

_What a creep..._ Kairi thought. _What's with her...?_

Kairi and the boy, Riley, took Aya to the nurse, where she was laid on a bed and tended to. Kairi kept changing the wet cloth on Aya's forehead until she came to.

"Aya, can you hear me?" She said softly.

"Kai... Where's Cloud?" She asked. Kairi was not the least bit surprised that she asked for Cloud.

"Not here. You want me to go get him?" Her only response was a weak nod.

Kairi left the room, and moments later, she returned with a nervous and worried Cloud.

"Aya? Are you okay?" He asked, taking her hand in his impulsively.

"I think so..." Her words were barely audible. "It was that woman..."

"Who? Who did this to you?" He asked, becoming angry at whoever hurt his Aya.

"The woman... from earlier... the hallway..." She mumbled parts of her sentence.

"The one who you bumped into, the rude sub?" Cloud was getting somewhere. A weak nod from Aya.

"That weird Lily lady? She creeps me out! What did she do to you Aya?"

"Her eyes... The cave... She did it." Was all Aya could say before her weakness got the better of her.

"That's it, I've heard enough. I'm taking her to my house, you can tell the others after school. This woman obviously has something to do with Aya's disappearance last week. We have to keep her away from Aya." Cloud scooped up Aya and stormed out of the nurses' office to the Ambulance.

"Hey, you can't-" One of the nurses tried to stop him, but was met with a door slamming in her face.

* * *

Once at his house, Cloud laid Aya in his bed and made sure she was comfortable before fixing her something to eat. Once she awoke, he sat with her and tried to figure out the situation.

After talking for awhile, he concluded that the woman posing as a substitute somehow forced Aya into those caves and tried to hurt her, but Aya was obviously too strong. Posing as a substitute was her plan to get closer to Aya and try to hurt her, maybe even kill her.

"What is her name? Do you know her name?" Cloud talked clearly, because Aya was still groggy and her senses were blurred.

"M... Something with an M... Muh... Mah... A long name..." She tried her hardest to remember.

"It's okay, take your time... An M? Marie... Marla..."

"Maleficent." Aya said the name once before passing out again.

* * *

**I couldn't wait to get this out... I'm gonna wait to post until Sunday I think... but... DUN DUN DUN!!! Shocker? Maybe you saw it coming? But anyways... What does Maleficent want with Aya, you ask? Good question. Keep tuning in to find out! Review, review, review! Arigato and Sayonara!**

**-VarekaiSoleil**


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